I Have A Dream
by Poppy Callaghan
Summary: Shiori Tsukamoto, the daughter of a Kusagakure heiress and a man from Konohagakure. The child who almost ruined the Tsukamoto name due to her bastard status. The child who was sent to live with her father, in a completely different country, at only a year old. Shiori Tsukamoto, who had no knowledge on her maternal family, but never let that get to her.
1. Chapter 1: Shiori Tsukamoto

_I have a dream, a fantasy_  
_To help me through reality_  
_And my destination makes it worth the while_  
_Pushing through the darkness still another mile_

-I Have A Dream; **by Abba**

* * *

Keiko let out a pained groan as another contraction washed over her. It was more intense than the others, causing her body to stiffen and her mind to blank. Her already shallow breathing seemed to grow even fainter and the layer of sweat glistened even brighter than before. Keiko's body ached from the hours of labor it was forced to go through, but she had to remind herself it would be over soon. The baby would be born and she'd be able to experience motherhood.

_Motherhood_.

That one word made Keiko's heart swell. For as long as she could remember, being a mother had been her biggest dream. All she wanted was a loving husband and a couple kids running about. But that dream didn't exactly go the way she wanted. Keiko managed to get pregnant, but from a man from the Hidden Leaf. . .and she's going to be an unwed mother. That was something the Tsukamoto clan found unacceptable. Keiko was the clan's _heiress_, the one who'd be in charge of their people when she's old enough. For her to act out in such a manner — to get pregnant by a man from another country — were possible signs she was not ready to lead.

When the contraction passed, Keiko let out a relieved, though shaky, sigh. Her body and mind were exhausted. All she wanted was for the baby to be born, but it seemed to be taking forever. The midwives weren't doing much to help alleviate the pain or to make the delivery go faster, they were murmuring to themselves, periodically checking the baby _and_ Keiko. Maybe one of them would scurry out of the room to inform the young woman's family. That was another thing; Keiko's family were adamant that she experience the delivery by herself. Through the eight and a half months of her pregnancy, she got the best care possible; but once her water broke a bit too early, they told her she'd go through the birthing process alone. The baby's father had long since disappeared, and whether or not he knew about his child's existence was none of their concern. In the eyes of Keiko's family, he was not suited to be with her, regardless of his homeland.

"I-Is the baby. . .?" Keiko rasped, her voice weak, barely coming above a whisper.

"Doing just fine, don't worry." A midwife inspected the baby's progress on top of making sure Keiko was doing fine, as well. "You're both doing fine. Focus on your breathing. When it's time to push we'll let you know."

A soft whimper escaped Keiko's mouth. She knew better than to argue with the midwives; they knew more than she did. All she could really do is hope for the best.

**-0 0 0 0-**

Eighteen hours. That's how long Keiko's delivery lasted. Eighteen hours of excruciating pain and desperate pleas. Eighteen hours of wondering of Keiko wondering if her baby was okay or not. The midwives did the best they could to ease the situation, but they were also doing what was necessary for the mother-to-be. They had to keep reminding their patient that sometimes births don't go the way they expect; that all women are different in terms of having a baby. Some women have their baby in a shorter span of time, while others have theirs drawn out as long as possible. Keiko was obviously no exception.

But. . .once Keiko's baby was finally delivered, once she heard the cries and saw it getting carried off, she finally felt her body relax. The pain, however, remained; a reminder of the lengths her body went through. Keiko's breathing was still labored, the layer of sweat on her body making her shiver. Her eyes clouded with tears. She'd finally had her baby, its cries still echoing in the room — they were loud and shrill, but it brought her great comfort.

"My baby," Keiko murmured. One of the midwives approached her, looking at her almost pitifully. "How is my baby?"

"Healthy," the midwife stated. "You've got a healthy baby girl, Lady Keiko."

Closing her eyes for a moment, Keiko felt herself smile. A little girl. How'd she get so lucky? Opening her eyes, Keiko watched as another midwife approached, holding a bundle wrapped in pink blankets. The crying had dwindled down to whimpers.

Slowly sitting up, Keiko got herself as comfortable as possible before opening her arms. The midwife gently placed the baby in her mother's arms, stepping back to observe. The other midwives were doing some additional cleaning, occasionally turning to observe, as well.

Keiko felt the tears overflow. The bundle in her arms looked absolutely perfect. Light olive skin, a head of white hair and bleary blue eyes. Adjusting the baby in her arms, Keiko gently stroked the soft skin of her child's cheek. Letting out a soft coo, the baby nestled into her mother's embrace.

"Look at you," Keiko whispered, still stroking her daughter's cheek. "You're so beautiful. My little girl." Leaning forward, with the utmost care, the young mother kissed her child's forehead.

"Have you thought of a name, Lady Keiko?" One of the midwives stepped forward, glancing down at mother and daughter expectedly.

Glancing up, the young mother nodded. "Yes, of course," she responded. "Her name is Shiori. Shiori Tsukamoto."

With a curt nod, the midwife walked off, only for another one to step forward.

"Should I send for your family?" she asked. "They've been waiting an awfully long time."

The atmosphere immediately shifted. Keiko felt a heaviness drop on her and a lump form in her throat. She felt a tidal wave of emotions consume her, emotions even stronger than what she currently felt. It was almost suffocating. Her family, the very people who opposed Shiori's existence, were waiting outside her room. They were waiting to see the bastard child, the newborn who had brought shame to the Tsukamoto clan. It both saddened and infuriated Keiko, knowing her family thought that way. Her clan's beliefs were very strict, very old fashioned. Very. . .restrictive.

Keiko only nodded in response. The other midwife walked out, going to grab the new mother's family.

_Gods give me strength,_ she thought, swallowing thickly. Keiko instinctively held Shiori closer to her, pressing the newborn to her chest, as if to shield her. Her family hadn't even entered the _room_ yet, and she was preparing for the worst.

Looking down at Shiori, Keiko couldn't stop the small smile from spreading across her face. Her child was looking up at her with curious blue eyes. Shiori's nose was scrunched up and her lips made a small pout.

"No matter what they say," Keiko whispered, "no matter what they say to you, you are absolutely perfect to me. Okay? You're so perfect, Shiori."

The sounds of footsteps caused Keiko to look up. She saw the midwife, standing to the side while the few immediate family members who stayed walked in. Keiko felt her heart jump in her throat as her lips pursed. The scrutiny, the _judgment_, on their faces made her blood run cold. They hadn't even seen Shiori yet and they were already making assessments — making up their own evaluations — on her.

Keiko's mother, Aino, was leering at the bundle in her daughter's arms. The older woman was obviously taking her time walking over, showing no signs of being interested in seeing her granddaughter. Keiko wasn't surprised in the least, though. Aino was a rather bitter woman in some regards, showing no remorse in her actions or words. All the new mother could do was prepare herself for the onslaught.

"The child is small," Aino pointed out. "Though I have to say it's not surprising. Keiko was small, as well, when she was born."

Mei, Keiko's younger sister, peered over to see Shiori's face. She looked a little disappointed. "How unfortunate," Mei said. "The child inherited the father's features."

"That _is_ unfortunate." Aino shook her head. "But remember, Mei, the child is a bastard. It has no place among us."

"_She_ has every reason to be here," Keiko exclaimed. Shiori whimpered at the sudden noise. "Shiori is my daughter. She has every right to be apart of this family as the rest of us."

"This child has no place here," Aino snapped, ignoring any startled or displeased sounds Shiori made. "It's a bastard, the child of a man from the Hidden Leaf. You know the customs we have in our clan, Keiko, and you went against them."

"You're lucky you're still the heiress," Mei responded. "Father was _this_ close from appointing the title to _me_."

"I don't care, Mei," Keiko sighed. "Look, I thought I had something special with the Konoha guy. I was wrong. But I know better now and I can be a good example for my daughter."

"What you need to worry about is being a good example for our clan." Aino glowered at her daughter. "The Tsukamoto clan has been part of Kusagakure since its formation. Our history here is rooted deep and it will not be tarnished by the actions of an unruly child."

Setting her jaw, Keiko glared at her mother and sister. She could try and reason with them all she wanted — she could argue, she could defend herself, she could try and say _any_thing that could try and work the situation in her favor. It would not matter. Not in the slightest. Aino and Mei believed in the traditions of the Tsukamoto clan. They believed in the old fashioned ways, the methods that seemed so unconventional today. Anything Keiko said to them would go in one ear and out the other. She could only pray for a miracle.* _Some_thing to help ease the problems their lives were now facing.

* * *

**(A/N):**

**Sorry for the wait on this chapter. Hopefully you guys found it tolerable, at least. If you see anything that could use some constructive criticism, don't hesitate to let me know, okay? I'd appreciate it.**

**Do I own anything in the Naruto fandom? No. No I don't. All I own are my OCs, my subplots, and the bed I sleep on. If you've got ideas for OCs or subplots, be sure to PM me or leave a review. I'll add them in as soon as possible.**

**Remember, leave constructive criticism where you think it's necessary. Help me improve the story and my writing. Stuff like that is important to me.**

**Thank you!**

**Peace out,**

**Poppy Callaghan**


	2. Chapter 2: Shiori Tsukamoto Pt 2

_I am flesh and I am bone_  
_Rise up, ting ting, like glitter and gold_  
_I've got fire in my soul_  
_Rise up, ting ting, like glitter_  
_Like glitter and gold_  
_Like glitter_

-Glitter and Gold; **by Barns Courtney**

* * *

_ONE YEAR LATER_

Keiko held Shiori close to her, softly kissing the top of her child's head. It had been a very difficult year for both mother and daughter. Ever since Shiori's birth, and ever since her arrival back at the Tsukamoto compound, Keiko's clan — Aino, specifically — went out of their way to make everything a living hell. It was made very apparent, from every member of her clan, that no one wanted Shiori there. No one acknowledged the infant as one of their own. It broke Keiko's heart. Whatever she said to anyone in her clan made no difference whatsoever. In their eyes, Shiori would never be one of them.

It was only after a year that Keiko reached her breaking point. It broke her heart, coming to this point; coming to this realization. Keiko's clan would never accept Shiori, and the sooner she accepted it, the better off be. At least knowing that, it wouldn't be so hard sending the infant away.

"Lady Keiko, look."

Turning her head slightly, Keiko looked at her escort for a moment. He was an older man, a jonin from Kusagakure. He offered his protection for a small fee, that would be paid once Keiko and Shiori made it to their destination safely. And judging from where he was pointing, the young mother could only assume they had made it. Looking over, following her escort's gaze and extended arm, Keiko nodded at what she saw. The entrance to the Hidden Leaf Village.

It took a number of weeks to get to the Hidden Leaf. Keiko made it very clear, from the very beginning, that she wanted to ensure no encounters with bandits or rogue shinobi. And, for the most part, her escort did a good job steering them clear. They had a few close encounters, but remained safe nonetheless. Keiko felt immense gratitude for the safe passage.

Leaning back, Keiko gave the jonin a look of appreciation. "I can't thank you enough for what you've done," she said.

The jonin nodded. "I take my missions seriously," he stated. "There is nothing I wouldn't do to ensure it's a success."

Nodding in return, Keiko looked down at Shiori. The one year old was being cradled on her mother's lap, her large blue eyes watching the scenery curiously. Their escort had them traveling by horse-pulled carriage; nothing extravagant, something good enough to get them from one point to another and back again.

"What should we expect once we arrive?" Keiko asked.

"Chances are we will be escorted to the Hokage," he explained. "When you first approached me with this mission, I sent a letter informing the Hokage of the situation. He answered requesting we come to the Land of Fire in hopes of explaining the situation in person." He paused for a moment, thinking over his words. "He seems like a very reasonable man, Lady Keiko. We can only hope he can grant your daughter citizenship there."

Keiko nodded, her expression grim. "We can only hope," she murmured.

**-0 0 0 0-**

The _second_ they made it to the Hidden Leaf's entrance, Keiko and her escort were stopped by two Leaf shinobi. Two men, who looked skeptical to say the least. What were people from the Hidden Grass doing in the Land of Fire? Why did one of them have a _baby_? What was their purpose? Keiko's escort, instead of answering all of their questions, gave a simple response: They were there to meet with the Hokage. It left the Leaf shinobi puzzled, but they took the jonin's words into consideration. Keiko, Shiori, and the escort were led to the Hokage's office, an air of skepticism and hesitance hanging in the air. To make matters worse, whispers from the civilians swirled around them, filling their ears and planting uncertainty in all of them.

Keiko couldn't help but hold Shiori close to her. The one year old tiredly gripped her mother's top, her head resting on the young mother's shoulder. Shiori had no idea on what was going on, but she could sense that things were not right. The hesitance, the uncertainty, it hung in the air and made the infant feel restless. The weeks of travelling may have worn Shiori out, but the sudden change in atmosphere made it difficult for her to relax. Keiko, however, tried her best to shield her daughter from the whispers of the citizens, from the looks and skepticism of their arrival. It wasn't very often that Konoha got visitors from other countries. Maybe every once in a while, there'd be word that someone from another nation would need help, but they'd have to pay a hefty fee depending on the task. But in Keiko's case, the Hokage had been rather flexible in what was being requested.

The walk over to the Hokage went on in silence, with the Leaf shinobi occasionally turning back to look at them. Keiko could see the tension in the shinobi's shoulders, the unreadable expressions in their eyes. What did they have to be so worked up over? Keiko's chances of becoming a kunoichi were put on halt when Shiori was born. Not to mention her escort gave no visible sign of being malevolent in any way.

_We're outsiders in this village,_ Keiko thought, her lips pursing. _It would be the same way in any village. We could've gone to any of the other Hidden Villages and they would react the same way._

A twinge of some unknown feeling erupted in Keiko's chest, her brows furrowing as a result.

Why would Konoha shinobi react so oddly to the sight of Kusagakure citizens? The Hidden Grass hadn't done anything to Konoha, so they had no reason to act that way, right? Was there something between the two nations Keiko somehow overlooked? As far as she was concerned, there were no tensions between the Grass and the Leaf. Swallowing thickly, the young mother shook her head. She wouldn't fill her thoughts up with worries of any kind. She was going to keep herself focused at the task at hand.

**-0 0 0 0-**

Hiruzen felt a variety of emotions when he received _that_ letter. He read it thoroughly, then reread it and then one more time. There was a part of him — a very small part of him — that wanted to believe the letter was false, but he knew better than to make accusations like that. Hiruzen wanted to believe he was a fair and reasonable man. The time he'd spent as Hokage gave him enough insight to know that some people just needed an opportunity. But that didn't mean he wouldn't do a little investigation of his own. Hiruzen made sure to find out which of his shinobi — from his chunin and jonin all the way to his ANBU — had traveled to the Hidden Grass in the last year and a half. He also made sure to find out how long each of those shinobi stayed in the Hidden Grass and what their assigned mission had been. He was going to find out, one way or another. The travel from the Hidden Grass to the Hidden Leaf would take weeks, so it would be plenty of time to compile a list of potential candidates, potential fathers to Keiko's daughter.

Of course the only way to know for sure is to take a DNA test. But those tests couldn't be done until Keiko and Shiori arrived in the village. All in all, the whole ordeal felt like something out of a drama, and Hiruzen knew he'd feel relieved once it was all said and done.

* * *

**(A/N):**

**Sorry for the wait on this chapter. Hopefully it's tolerable for you guys; if not, tell me what I need to do to improve. Constructive criticism is always important, my friends. That's the one thing I'd love to get from you guys.**

**Do I own anything in the Naruto universe? No. No I don't. All I own are my OCs, my subplots, and the socks on my feet. If you've got ideas for OCs or subplots, be sure to PM me or leave a review. I'll add them in as soon as possible.**

**Be sure to leave a random fact in the reviews, my friends. It can be on something old or on something new. It's up to you guys.**

**Thank you!**

**Peace out,**

**Poppy Callaghan**


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